With the ocean as a backdrop, the Rockaway Beach Music Festival is bringing the cool vibes this summer with a free, two-day long music festival hosted at the Rockaway Beach Wayside August 16-17.
Organized by Neah-Kah-Nie Coast Art and Music Cultural Foundation (NCAM), the event will feature twelve, live performing musical artists. The lineup includes Tillamook Coast bands Mercury Coast and Hope Montgomery; as well as regional bands: Glitterfox, Mitch Whitaker, members of Typhoon, The Dead Lines, Nik Xandir Wolf, Doral Vance, Blaine Heinonen, Sunkicks, and Dylan Crawford.
“We’ve never had this caliber of music festival here before,” Mercury Coast bandmember Eric Sappington said. “There’s a lot of momentum and support behind it. Come to the coastline and support what’s going on; it’s going to be a beautiful weekend.”
While enjoying music at the beach, attendees are also encouraged to support the artisan fair featuring local artists and makers. A beer garden will be pouring Pelican Brewing and 503 Distilling. Grab a bite to eat from the Garibaldi Portside Bistro food truck or Tony’s Beach Bites, or walk to Pelican Brewing’s new tap room location in Rockaway Beach. Just a skip away from the concert venue, Sea Breeze Ice Cream will be serving Pelican Brewing soda floats with a portion of all sales going back to NCAM.
The music festival is free to attend, or upgrade with VIP tickets for admission to a reserved seating area. All proceeds from VIP tickets and merchandise sales will benefit NCAM’s mission of creating access for everyone (including youth) to writing, music, arts, and cultural programs. The entirely volunteer-run organization is actively raising funds to build a modern, professional-grade recording studio at Neah-Kah-Nie High School (Rockaway Beach).
“NCAM has been a partner in expanding our high school music program,” Neah-Kah-Nie High School Principal Christy Hartford said. “Partnerships like this between nonprofits and the high school are important when we try to build out new programming that doesn’t fall into the traditional track of what schools offer. NCAM is trying to help bridge gaps in funding and create opportunities that might not otherwise be possible for our students. Their investment of time, energy, and resources is a powerful show of support for the future of our local talent and creative industries—something especially impactful in a rural community like ours.”
Tillamook Coast band Mercury Coast was able to access the resources pooled together by NCAM and recorded their album at a recording studio in north Tillamook County.
“That’s not a lot of access and never has been to a recording studio on the coast,” Sappington said. “We worked with a professional recording setup and [an NCAM volunteer] who was very knowledgeable. If we could get a recording studio for our students, it may help kids get going in the right direction; it’s going to be huge for them. Keep supporting the arts. The opportunities are going to be incredible.”
Want a preview of what the Rockaway Beach Music Festival will sound like? Search for the “Rockaway Beach’s Music Festival 2025 Vibes” playlist on Spotify.
For a full lineup of artists and to purchase VIP tickets, visit: rbmusicfest.com.
The Rockaway Beach Music Festival is made possible by city and community grants from Tillamook PUD, City of Rockaway Beach, Visit Tillamook Coast, Oregon Community Foundation, and The Roundhouse Foundation.